Arteta admits he made a substitution to avoid playing with ten men | OneFootball

Mikel Arteta has admitted that he had to take off Riccardo Calafiori during their match against Nottingham Forest because the Italian was on a yellow card and could have been sent off.

Calafiori had returned to the team in the absence of Myles Lewis-Skelly and made a positive impact, nearly scoring a goal for the Gunners. However, after receiving a booking early in the game, he was at risk of being targeted by Forest’s dangerous players. With his yellow card, there was a significant danger that Calafiori could be shown a second yellow, leaving Arsenal with only ten men for the remainder of the match.

This left Arteta with no choice but to act, substituting Calafiori to avoid the risk of going down to ten players. The decision baffled some fans, who questioned why he was taken off, especially considering he is Arsenal’s second-best player in that role. Nevertheless, Arteta defended his decision, emphasising the importance of maintaining discipline.

(Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

Speaking to Arsenal Media, Arteta explained his reasoning:

“I took him because he got a yellow in the second minute. He had one or two situations defending Hudson-Odoi and we couldn’t not play again with 10 men.”

Arteta’s decision was ultimately a precautionary one, aiming to avoid putting Arsenal in a dangerous position. Had Calafiori been sent off, it could have led to a defeat, leaving the Gunners with an even greater uphill battle in the game against Forest.

Arsenal must remain disciplined and avoid similar situations in their remaining matches of the season. Arteta has warned that if they continue to lose players to unnecessary red cards, it could jeopardise their hopes of even securing a top-four finish. The importance of maintaining composure in the crucial weeks ahead cannot be overstated.

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